Various tools and search engines are known for searching data collections, such as the Internet. For example, Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista and others index the web. Other search tools, such as Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw, are known for performing research and searching specific types of databases via the Internet. However, larger and larger document collections are becoming available to search. The larger a data collection, the harder it is to perform a search and review the vast search results. This taxes both the relevancy ranking performed by the search engines and the search formulation skill of the users.
Furthermore, a particular user is often likely to perform the same or similar search again at a later date. With conventional search tools, the search must generally be repeated and the same search results reviewed again for relevancy. In an organization, such as a corporation or law firm, multiple users may likewise repeat the same or similar searches as one another. Each user therefore individually determines the relevancy of the search results without the benefit of prior search results or any relevancy determinations made by their colleagues. Document locations may also change and a relevant document may no longer be available at the time of a subsequent search.
Some systems and methods have been developed to optimize research and the searching of data collections. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0149343, entitled “Knowledge-management systems for law firms,” discloses a system for searching documents located in a local document management system and documents in external databases. The system allows users to rate documents to indicate their quality. This assists the same or different user in determining whether a document is relevant and accurate when it is found in a subsequent search. However, the '343 publication does not disclose any means to review prior and/or related searches or any means to avoid redundant searches.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0224583, entitled “Systems and methods for analyzing a user's web history,” discloses a system that allows users to view and analyze their search history. A user can browse or perform a search of their prior history. The user can view query terms from previous searches and links to search results that were accessed by the user. The search results are ranked by frequency of visit or by date. While the '583 publication discloses a means for a particular user to review his/her previous searches, the disclosed system does not assist with the accuracy and speed of future searches. Furthermore, while the system logs search results that were previously accessed by the user, there is no certainty that a result that was accessed was in fact considered to be relevant and useful. The system also only provides URL links to previously viewed results which may or may not still reside in their previous location.
What is desired therefore is a search tool and research system that overcomes the disadvantages in the prior art.